The more ideal situation would be if all 50 states had an animal abuse registry, so that just one registry needed to be consulted by anyone who needed such a thing. However, this is a great first step in the right direction.

Additional cities or entire states are considering their own animal abuse registries, including Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Texas.

The registry is a very easy process. Anyone is allowed to request access to the list, and need only go to any local county office to obtain it. They will see details such as the offender’s full name, photo, conviction date, and specific crime(s) committed.

If convicted of animal abuse in states and cities with registries, the criminals must provide a photo, any aliases they go by, and also much pay a $50 fine on top of it. Refusing to do so can result in a prison sentence of up to one year, or a fine of up to $1,000.

Our society is becoming more aware, and therefore less tolerant of animal abuse. New laws are being considered and enacted all over the country to punish those who abuse and neglect their pets, and some of these crimes have even become a felony.

These registries are attempting to go one step further and instead of punish the abuse, seek to prevent the abuse from occurring altogether.

Encourage your local policy makers to consider registries for your city or state!

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